Chapter 83 - The One Granted Permission Because He Was Worthy (2)

Godin had already expected that Vlad would reject his proposal.

He was well aware of the boy's temperament, having experienced it before.

However, the real reason Godin felt bitter wasn't that his consideration had been rejected, but rather the false bubbles surrounding the boy.

"He would have grown up fine on his own even without all this unnecessary embellishment."

The report Godin was currently examining by candlelight detailed the accomplishments Vlad had built up so far.

He had annihilated one of the city's organizations.

He had driven out the black mage's lackey.

He had lured the Death worm and personally dispatched the Lindwurm.

"It seems Bayezid was quite desperate."

As if there was nothing more to see, Godin set down the report he was holding and downed the glass of liquor beside him.

There was such a thing as common sense in the world, and there was always a good reason why certain standards became common sense.

"They've inflated him too much."

When Godin had first seen Vlad, he was undeniably a greenhorn who couldn't even swing a sword properly.

His final swing had been plausible, but that was merely a display of his potential; it was absolutely not at a level where he could rise to the position of Dragon Slayer in less than a year.

"A fabricated potential..."

The Bayezid knights had an outstanding reputation in the North, but they were currently being judged as having failed their generational shift in this era.

Therefore, they had a certain degree of motive to inflate Vlad's evaluation for his sake.

"Still, it's commendable that he managed to awaken his aura."

And the reason Bayezid had gone to such lengths was undoubtedly because of the boy's outstanding potential.

The manifestation of an aura was not something that could simply be taught, so it was completely understandable that Bayezid was excited after seeing Vlad draw out his aura at such a young age.

"..."

Should he have brought him along no matter what?

Although the direction of their ties hadn't aligned so he left him behind, if he had successfully won him over, perhaps the boy would have become Gaidar's potential by now.

"It's a shame."

In life, one is bound to stand at countless crossroads, and even if one makes the best choice at the time, it is impossible not to feel some regret when looking back.

Godin felt a bitter taste in his mouth, feeling as though the boy's shining potential was being overshadowed because of his own wrong choice.

* * *

Under Alicia's cold gaze, Vlad's eyes darted around erratically.

"Are you going to do that again?"

"I'm sorry. I've deeply reflected on it."

It was partly due to her intimidating presence, but also because the numerous dishes laid out on the round table were tempting the boy with their fragrant scents and appetizing appearances.

"I swear I will never treat Lady Alicia's handkerchief carelessly again."

"Good."

Nodding as if satisfied with Vlad's sincere answer, Alicia spoke with a smile, a stark contrast to her earlier expression.

"I should know how to overlook a single mistake."

It felt a bit like she had lured him with food, but she had gotten a definite answer from Vlad anyway, so that was enough.

There would be another chance to talk about Lady Zemina later.

"All right. Let's eat, everyone."

At Alicia's words, everyone picked up their cutlery as if they had been waiting for this moment.

The Bayezid knights, invited as guests, all wore satisfied expressions.

"This is excellent. I haven't seen a banquet like this in a long time."

"They did say the lemon harvest was incredible this year."

Even with his seniors' voices coming from beside him, Vlad simply focused on the food in front of him.

When Vlad had visited Deirmar in the past, he had complained about the local diet.

Joseph had liked it, but from Vlad's perspective, he hadn't cared for Deirmar's vegetarian culture at all.

"It's a whole pig barbecue accompanied by a special lemon sauce."

'Ooh...'

However, what was laid before Vlad right now were nothing but mouth-watering meats.

It was common knowledge that a growing boy needed his protein.

"Thank you, Baroness."

"Eat as much as you'd like."

Vlad took a bite of a thickly sliced piece of meat and let out an involuntary exclamation of awe.

He had eaten his fill of high-grade meats with the Kannor Family, but the barbecue he was tasting in Deirmar offered a completely different level of flavor.

["The pinnacle of all cooking comes from the sauce."]

It was a voice that shrugged as if he had eaten this much plenty of times, but Vlad just continued to tear into the meat before him, not wanting to miss the lingering aroma in his mouth.

Sitting across from the boy, Alicia watched him with a pleased look.

"... Are the preparations for the duel going well?"

As if embarrassed by his lady's demeanor, Duncan struck up a conversation with Jager, who was sitting next to him.

"I actually had a few things I wanted to request regarding that."

Jager was also feeling somewhat embarrassed seeing the dishes so blatantly concentrated in front of Vlad.

He understood her consideration for the champion who would bear her honor, but wasn't this going a bit overboard?

"Just say the word. We will do our utmost to prepare."

"In that case..."

For the duel taking place in a few days, the boy who had to fight needed to eat heartily, and the people who had to prepare needed to deliberate deeply.

The knight named Ishtvan was the eldest son of the Gaidar Family, the conqueror of the West, and was a true expert who had honed his skills since childhood.

To be honest, Jager did not view Vlad's chances of winning very highly.

"Ask for anything, as much as you need. Deirmar will provide all the support we can for Sir Vlad."

"Understood."

Just as Duncan said, Deirmar would spare no support for the boy.

If the boy were to lose, Alicia would have no choice but to fully embrace the interference of another foreign power, Bayezid, in order to fend off Gaidar's threat.

Everyone in Deirmar was preparing for what they desired.

For justification, for independence, and for revenge.

Everyone present knew that this current banquet was like the calm before the storm.

The night passed with the sound of hearty laughter.

* * *

"..."

The morning of the duel.

Entering the dueling ground Alicia had prepared, Ishtvan felt an uncomfortable sensation that he couldn't quite put into words.

"... Aren't duels usually held in a lobby or a hall?"

"There was a special request from Baroness Alicia."

Just as Godin said, Alicia wanted this duel to be held outdoors rather than in a lobby or a hall.

She had reasoned that since the matter involved a marriage proposal, she wished for her parents resting in the ground to watch over it as well.

"Is that so?"

It wasn't an entirely unconvincing reason, but Ishtvan still felt uneasy.

The sensation of closely trimmed grass beneath his toes.

A field so immaculately cleared that even tiny pebbles were removed.

"Did it rain this morning?"

"No."

And the grass on the field, strangely damp despite the lack of rain.

It was easy enough to move quickly on, but for a swordsman like him who needed a strong foothold, it was a disadvantageous environment.

"You'll have to endure this much."

"They're trying so hard."

Setting up an advantageous battlefield prior to combat was one of a commander's fundamental duties.

Ishtvan flashed a fierce smile as he looked at the one-eyed knight who had scrambled to scrape together whatever minor variables he could for the boy's sake.

"Are you ready?"

Remaining impassive despite Ishtvan's meaningful smile, Jager turned his head to look at the boy standing behind him.

Even now, the formless pressure of the Gaidar knights poured down on Vlad in an attempt to suppress his spirit.

And behind the seniors who were blocking that pressure for him, Vlad stood with his eyes closed.

"Yes."

Seeing Vlad's unwavering blue eyes, Jager nodded.

He had endured well up until now.

Jager well knew that his endless patience in front of those who could be considered his enemies was all to keep his promise to Joseph.

"Good."

So now it was his turn to reward the boy's patience.

When Jager signaled to Duncan that they were ready, the priest Alicia had invited stepped up to the dueling ground.

He was the same priest who had witnessed the boy cause his own world to bloom during the previous duel over succession rights.

"Combatants from both sides, step forward!"

A familiar priest.

A battlefield made for the boy.

"Observers from both sides, step forward as well!"

And rules crafted for the boy.

At the priest's instruction, two knights stepped into the dueling ground, taking their places behind Ishtvan and Vlad.

The knight of blue moonlight Godin and One-eyed Jager.

The representative knights of Gaidar and Bayezid faced each other.

"The use of aura is permitted in this duel."

Believing a pure swordsmanship match against Ishtvan would lead to inevitable defeat, Jager had chosen the use of aura to introduce a variable.

Because he believed the firmness of the world the boy possessed would not fall behind anyone's.

"As this is not a duel to the death, either of you may intervene should the combatants find themselves in mortal danger."

Since aura would be used, a safety measure was necessary, and the two knights present would act as observers to prepare for the worst-case scenario.

"Do you agree to the current rules?"

Seeing both knights nod, the priest was left with only the final preparation for the duel.

"The involved parties, step forward."

The observers stepped down, leaving only the duelists in the arena.

There, Vlad and Ishtvan stood facing each other.

"Do you have the handkerchief with you? It's a hassle to go through pointless procedures just to get my hands on it."

"..."

The priest looking up, waiting for the sun to emerge from behind the clouds.

Waiting for the imminent start of the duel, Vlad opened his mouth.

"If I'm betting the handkerchief, then what are you going to give?"

A weak dog is bound to bark.

To hide its fear with a threatening demeanor and intimidate its opponent.

However, the boy in front of him, who was clearly weaker, was quietly smiling instead of barking.

"I suppose I should at least take that sword you're holding."

"You son of a bitch..."

Being accustomed to taking things wasn't a trait exclusive to the West.

The boy, who had grown up in the back alleys where having things taken meant death, was just as greedy as Ishtvan.

"That should definitely even the scales."

He took because he wanted to.

He took to survive.

The two beasts, accustomed to taking, began to bare their sharp fangs at each other.

"Under today's sun, God is watching!"

With the priest's signal, the duel began.

'... What is that?'

Ishtvan wanted to lunge forward and beat Vlad to a pulp right away, but the unfamiliar stance Vlad had taken held back his steps.

It was a stance that made it difficult to easily extend a sword, and even if one did, it would be hard to reach.

Holding the sword in one hand, positioning his body sideways as much as possible.

Allowing the smallest possible target area, the boy's stance was undoubtedly one primarily taken by swordsmen who used rapiers.

"I hope you like it."

Information did not necessarily equate to the truth.

Even though Godin held information about the boy, he had made an incorrect judgment, whereas Joseph had used the information in his hands to predict and orchestrate the current situation.

From the moment Joseph received Alicia's letter, he had been preparing for a duel with Ishtvan.

"I prepared this just for you."

The Bayezid knights had arrived in Deirmar after such a long time that Alicia had been burning with anxiety.

That was to buy the boy time to prepare.

"..."

Watching the duel, Godin saw Vlad's unsettling stance and looked at the Bayezid knights standing behind the boy.

'They were prepared for this.'

The Bayezid knights watching the boy from outside the dueling ground.

Coincidentally, they were all wielders of greatswords, just like Ishtvan.

A Knight Takes Only Their Rightful Due

Joseph had told him it was okay to lose.

Because the young man, who always prepared for the worst, had already accounted for the scenario of Vlad losing. Even the Bayezid knights, who had willingly offered the boy opportunities to spar, didn't rate his chances of defeating Ishtvan very highly.

No one would ever expect someone like him to defeat a scion of a count's family who had received the best education since childhood.

Not his master Jager, nor Alicia, who had entrusted him with her honor.

And not even Godin, who was smiling just like that day outside the dueling ground.

But still, just for once.

"Bring it."

He wanted to be a person who could shoulder expectations.

"Let's see just how great you are."

Because now, he was also someone who bore his own honor.

Because there was not a speck of shame in the struggles he had fought through to climb up to this point.

* * *

CLANG!

CLANG!

Every time sword met sword, sparks unfailingly flew.

The Bayezid knights watching the duel found themselves involuntarily clenching their fists.

"Good. He's doing well."

"Just keep it up like that. Just like that."

It was a method for countering greatswords, crammed into him in a severely constrained time frame.

Even so, Vlad was parrying Ishtvan's sword exactly as they had taught him.

Even as he stumbled, with his teeth clenched tight.

He deflected thrusts that utilized reach and dodged downward strikes that utilized weight.

Because it was an extreme stance that was difficult to employ in real combat, the bold move Vlad had played was definitively chipping away at Ishtvan.

"You little rat!"

Thus, the only way to reach Vlad was through the ferocious, wide-reaching horizontal slashes unique to a greatsword, but even that wasn't going smoothly.

CLASH!

'What the hell!'

Godin had told him the blonde greenhorn in front of him had only wielded a sword for a year.

However, the counterattacks he was pulling off right now were far too advanced for his level of experience.

"How long are you going to keep running!"

Vlad approached the duel entirely defensively, as if he had given up on attacking completely.

Ishtvan knew Vlad couldn't dodge and block like this forever, but the problem was that by the time Vlad faltered, Ishtvan would also be suffering from a lack of stamina.

The greatsword was far sturdier and heavier than other weapons, meaning it imposed a much greater physical burden on its wielder.

'Dammit!'

Ishtvan felt as though he was walking through thick mud.

The battlefield established by Bayezid, Vlad's stance that seemed prepared in advance, and the ground that felt like it was gradually turning mushy—though he wasn't sure if that was just his imagination.

Even the air he breathed felt heavy, giving him the impression that everything in Deirmar was conspiring against him.

"Is it because you crawled up from some lowly ditch? Your methods are downright filthy!"

For those reasons, Ishtvan was currently growing impatient.

The boy could afford to lose, but Ishtvan could not.

No, simply showing himself struggling like this against a no-name knight was already tantamount to a humiliation.

"Even the mother who birthed you would look away if she saw your pathetic state right now!"

Hearing Ishtvan resort to dragging his parents into his provocations, Vlad couldn't help but let out a dry chuckle.

Ishtvan's lips twitched as if daring him to tolerate even this, but such a provocation was no more than a daily greeting in the back alleys.

"... As if that would happen."

And even if his mother were here, Vlad knew full well she wouldn't point a finger at him in disdain.

Because even though his situation was visibly disadvantageous and perilous, Vlad was undeniably stepping forward, one step at a time, toward victory.

"...!"

In that instant, a flashing silver trajectory.

A strike shot out like an arrow from his sharply honed stance, flying straight for Ishtvan's face.

It was a movement he hadn't shown before, making it an attack that was difficult to react to.

"You bastard..."

"Didn't you tell me to bring it?"

A drop of blood trickled down his cheek.

The tip of the lowly knight's sword, which he had looked down on so much, had grazed Ishtvan's cheek.

"..."

Even Godin, standing outside the dueling ground as an observer, flinched briefly at that strike.

It was shallow because it prioritized speed, but it caught him off guard precisely because of that.

'The gap is closing.'

Godin noticed that the gap between Ishtvan and Vlad was gradually narrowing.

It was proof that Vlad was aiming for victory in his own way.

The achievements the boy had built up until now were all possible because he had borrowed someone else's hands, and the honors had to be shared by all.

Now, however, as someone who bore his own honor through the title of knight, Vlad wanted a victory solely his own.

"If Count Gaidar saw you right now, I bet he'd jump for joy."

"...!"

A provocation should not end as an empty echo.

It must come across as a tangible threat, and if it could land as a humiliation, it would be even better.

Just like what Vlad was doing right now.

"Y-You bastard..."

As Vlad leisurely resumed his stance, as if demonstrating how a provocation was truly done, red blood vessels began to bulge around Ishtvan's eyes.

"Damn."

Unable to hold back any longer, aura began to bloom from the tip of Ishtvan's sword.

Drawing up an aura was the act of bringing one's world out into the open.

It required a corresponding expenditure of mental energy, and that consumed mental energy ate away at one's physical stamina.

Seeing Ishtvan fall perfectly into the boy's trap, Godin couldn't help but click his tongue.

"... He's done well to get this far."

Sensing the shifting atmosphere of the battlefield, Jager quickly placed his hand on the hilt of his sword.

"He'll have to hold out well from here on."

Standing as an observer, Jager kept his senses sharp and his eyes fixed on the scene unfolding before him.

He was preparing for the worst, ready to intervene at a moment's notice.

"Die! You lowly scum!"

["He's coming!"]

The true terror of greatsword techniques lay not in the ferocious power of a single strike, but in its endless chain of continuous attacks.

Because switching between offense and defense was difficult with it, it was a weapon that required results from a single launch.

Therefore, only an endless barrage of strikes could offset a greatsword's weaknesses.

"Ugh!"

CRASH! BOOM! CRASH!

The ground shook in all directions, and showers of dirt began raining down everywhere.

The tremors were so violent, like an earthquake, that Vlad could barely keep his balance.

"Let's see you dodge this, too!"

The field was being torn apart in the wake of Ishtvan's aura, swung with unbridled rage.

The brutally shredded grass and dirt rained down like a shower, obscuring Vlad's vision.

["You still have to look!"]

Following Vlad's faltering footwork, Ishtvan's furious sword struck down as if it had been waiting for this exact moment.

'Dammit!'

It was the situation he had induced and the result he had intended, but the reality he faced was anything but easy.

As expected, Ishtvan's world, solidly built up with the backing of a count's family, still possessed a level of power that was difficult for Vlad to withstand.

That is, if Ishtvan had maintained his usual cool head.

'Forward!'

If he just kept dodging, he might be able to drag this to a draw.

Even if he lost, he would still gain some measure of success.

However, Vlad wanted to break free from always dodging, running away, and promising to do better next time.

'...'

Right in front of him was the knight who had destroyed his nest.

That day, he had fled from Rose's Smiles and ran away from Soara, but he no longer wanted to take a step back in front of this man.

"Aaaargh!"

Look closely.

At me, who now holds a rightful qualification.

I gave it my all to climb up to this point.

For some, it was a qualification given from birth, but for Vlad, it was the product of a struggle.

To extend his sword just this once, the boy had never once stopped.

'I see it!'

There was a small opening he could see.

Even within the tempestuous flow of consecutive attacks, there was a small opening that could reach Ishtvan.

["Left!"]

In an instant, a heavy blow landed on his shoulder.

"Keuk!"

Following its master's will, the armor harboring the breath of the children desperately twisted the trajectory of Ishtvan's strike.

It was the armor technique he had stolen from the holy knight who was more unyielding than anyone else in following God's will.

"How dare you!"

Due to its length, a greatsword struggled in close quarters.

Vlad's charge had deflected his sword with unbelievable speed and bizarre movement, but Ishtvan had already mastered a few methods to cover his weaknesses.

"Keok!"

Strong and hard.

Ishtvan's robust physique, inherited through his bloodline, was an excellent weapon in itself.

A kick from Ishtvan suddenly dug into Vlad's abdomen.

Furthermore, Ishtvan's newly freed left hand was swinging straight toward Vlad's face.

"You think that'll be enough!"

"Keok!"

However, Vlad merely met Ishtvan's strike head-on with his own forehead, as if making a statement.

"You lunatic!"

Lamund's gleaming forehead was certainly deeply ingrained in the boy's memory.

The old knight, who now had to retire, had spared no teachings for the knight of Bayezid who would take responsibility for the future.

["Now!"]

A single moment, only this single moment right now.

The boy gave it his all for a single leap aiming for that gap.

The noble can stand back up even if they fall, and the wealthy can rise again even if they fail.

However, a life from the back alleys, which must seize its sole opportunity, has to bet everything on a single chance.

Just like the boy right now.

"Die! You son of a bitch!"

There was no need to look anymore.

Because the opponent was right in front of him.

Because he couldn't afford to give up his vision, Vlad had only closed his left eye upon getting close, and as if it had been waiting, his world burst forth.

A noble world. A prepared world.

And so, Ishtvan's world, which had looked down on him.

The tip of the sword of the boy who had crawled out of the back alleys reached the very edge of it.

Along with his world, bursting out in white.

In front of everyone present.

The white snake entwined in the tree let out a loud cry alongside the boy's world.

* * *

"... I am, I'm well within my rights, aren't I?"

Blood was seeping from the nape of Ishtvan's neck.

Had it dug in just a little deeper, Ishtvan would have died on the spot.

"So... I can take my rightful due, can't I?"

The end of the duel, where everyone fell silent.

The boy's sword had ultimately reached the noble's throat, and to prevent it, someone had stepped in to block his blade.

"Answer me-!"

"... Yeah."

Finally, I have reached you.

Knight of blue moonlight.

The sword beneath the moonlight he had yearned for so much was finally looking at him.

"So hand it over. You guys too."

That day, I lost my nest.

I begged for my life with dirty scraps of meat.

So now, I need to take something in return too.

"A knight takes their rightful due. Godin of Gaidar."

A rightful cause, a rightful qualification.

And a rightful result.

The boy had crawled his way up until now to achieve this result.

Therefore, demanding the price of victory was only natural.

"As the price of this duel, I demand Ishtvan's sword."

A knight takes only their rightful due.

The person who had first taught him that was the knight of blue moonlight, who was looking at him right in front of his eyes.

A boy shedding tears, and a noble trembling at the cold steel against his throat.

The knight of blue moonlight blocking the boy's sword, and the one-eyed knight protecting the boy.

On the dueling ground where the swords of the duelists and observers were chaotically entangled, the priest who upheld God's will declared in a trembling voice.

"T-The winner is the knight of Bayezid. Vlad of Soara!"

Beneath the glaring sun, the boy's blonde hair shone.

Just like everyone present, God would surely keep a close eye on the boy's victory, if only for today.

Because this was the moment when the boy's sword finally reached the world above.